Like You
by Virginia Tallon
Summary: An Avatar songfic, using Evanescence's Like You. Yue's death bears down hard on Sokka. Will he give up his life to see her again?


-1Sokka bent near the darkened pool, soft brown hair falling against his tanned face. It was a deep night, but the moon shone brightly and danced upon the water. The lean boy gently placed his fingers in the water, sending icy chills down his spine. He smiled, near tears. The image of a lost love floated on the surface, gentle blue eyes glowing with a soft innocence, a sadness. White hair wavered along the delicate face of a young girl as the image rippled. Sokka's eyes grew wet and he leaned nearer. The water princess's appearance was flawless, though constantly moving.

**Stay low... **

**Soft, dark, and dreamless...**

The beloved Yue glittered on the water, and Sokka smiled. It was not the first time he'd seen her face in the water; he'd seen her other places, too. Such as, once, in the market, after another defeat of the cabbage seller, the princess's face had appeared in the side of a vase, smiling softly but saying nothing. He wasn't sure if it was his imagination or something supernatural, but somehow he continued to see her, from place to place, everywhere they went...

**Far beneath my**

**Nightmares and loneliness**

**I hate me... for breathing**

**Without you**

It was not to say he was solemn all the time, but whenever his thoughts drifted away, he thought of her. Thought of their secret relationship, of her fair beauty, of the sacred kiss they shared. How he remembered that night, that whole trip. He thought of the way he guarded her, protected her; loved her. He often tried not to think of the worse events, but sometimes he couldn't fight his memories. He remembered the awful jerk that Yue was supposed to marry, how much he wanted to strangle him.

And finally, he remembered her death. It was a struggle for him, to accept Yue's death. It was so quick and yet so poetic. Sacrificing her life for the life of her people. He had to admit, she had much more strength than he did. He loved his people as well, but he didn't have the guts to sacrifice himself for them.

**I don't want to feel anymore... for you...**

**Grieving for you, I'm not grieving for you.**

He closed his eyes, letting the tears fall. He yearned to be with her, to embrace her soft fairness, to protect her from everything. He would do anything for her. It hurt to live without her sometimes. He felt empty.

But he cried not for her absence, he told himself. He cried for her soul, and her heart, and her voice. Just to hear her voice again would let him die happy. He cried because he wanted to be near her.

**Nothing real love can't undo..**

**And though I may have lost my way**

**All paths lead straight to you...**

Wherever he roamed, the lands reminded him of his white-haired beauty. He saw her smile in the mountains, her gentle eyes in the moon, her spirit soaring through the air beside him.

He let the chill of the water fill his veins, creeping up his arm as memories raced through his mind. Take me, he silently called to the spirit of the moon. Take me to my love..

**I long to be like you...**

**Lie cold in the ground like you...**

Sad blue eyes lifted and he gazed at the reflection of Yue. So far away... He blew her a soft kiss, and it seemed for a moment that the apparition smiled, the slightest upward turn of the mouth. He wanted to touch her cheek, to hush her worries, though he realized she probably had none now.

He had been hoping, on this, the night of her death, that she might contact him somehow. Yet when the image smiled, whether it be apparition or imagination, Sokka felt that it was enough, just to see her smile again. He had visited her shrine that day, for she had no tomb, but it felt wrong, cold icy sculptures portraying the once princess. They only showed her side of duty and honor; not the sweet, strong, caring girl he knew she was. If Yue could see it, he was sure that it wouldn't please her as well as if Sokka had led the construction, sculpted her as she should have been remembered.

**Halo**

**Blinding wall between us**

That night when she gave her soul to the moon spirit, Sokka and the rest present had witnessed the princess's ghost as she left them. But she had kissed him, then, in her glorious white form, floating in the deep blue night. It was a promise, Sokka believed, that she would guard him and the avatar and his sister. He could think of nothing sweeter.

She looked as what other worlds called angels- magnificently beautiful creatures that flew in the skies and watched over people, protecting them. Sokka believed this was true-- that her amazing grace protected him and loved him. But sometimes it wasn't enough just to believe. He needed her here.

**Melt away and**

**Leave us alone again...**

**I believe our love can see us through **

**In death...**

The frozen walls of the North Pole quivered around him, not violently, however, but trembling almost as with emotion. Tears of water gently ran down the solid walls, weeping with the sullen boy. The shallow pool grew as the walls shrank, melted. The moon shone down upon Sokka's face, and he looked toward it with a tear-streaked face. It glowed like a distant fire, passionate but harmless. The coldness of the water wrapped itself around his arm, securely holding on but he didn't notice, only watched the moon grow closer and softer, lulling him into a dreamlike state. He would see his love again, he knew.

**You're not alone...**

**No matter what they told you, you're not alone...**

He closed his eyes again and a longing ran through his body, aching for his princess's sweet touch. He said a silent prayer and slipped into the pool, which came to his knees at its depth. The walls around him were completely melted now, so that the land filled with shallow puddles, the cries of everyone who missed the princess. Exposed, the water tribe people made their ways across the ice to the scene and joined in raising their praises and grievances to the great white spirit that morphed out of the glowing moon. Flowing white hair and breathtaking blue eyes shone upon the people, the deceased girl's smile glimmering in the beauty of the night.

**I'll be right beside you forever more...**

He raised his arms to the moon, Yue's spirit ever growing nearer. He called out to her, aloud this time, "I need you!" It was not awkward, however. Children and adults alike raised their arms to her, calling out cries of joy or sadness, and the floating girl showed concern and sympathy for each. She continued down the crowd until Sokka cried out and she hurried toward him, never missing a single touch of grace.

**And as we lay in silent bliss**

**I know you'll remember me...**

It was all still very much like a dream to Sokka, but he felt the wisps of her white dress softly beating against his numbing flesh. He opened his eyes slowly, afraid that he had hoped in vain, that she had not come and the people were taking him away.

"Sokka," she purred in a honey-sweet voice, a calming feature. She reached to him, brushing against his sodden face. She was marvelous, the way she glowed and hung midair, calling to him. He touched her hand, surprisingly somewhat solid, and looked into those icy eyes. She raised him from the water, set him on the ice and smiled.

**I'm coming for you...**

"You miss me," she giggled. And then her face went serious, concerned. "You have a great journey ahead with the world. You cannot take your life to see me. I miss you with every passing second, but my duty is to protect my people, as the moon spirit."

Sokka's face fell and he looked away. She was all he desired, all he ever could want, and he couldn't deal with her absence. "I can't be without you. I feel empty. Why don't you want me?" His voice was hurt, cracking a few times. His eyes were lost, mournful.

A smile alit on her face, and she held his face in her hands. "I love you more than you'll ever know. And that's why I can't let you do this. You have better things to accomplish. I'm sure when you're an old man, I'll still love you as fiercely as today. And then you can come join me, when the world is safe and you've lived your life. I've already lived mine." And then, she drew him closer and pressed her lips to his, kissing him more sweetly than the last time.

He leaned forward into the kiss, feeling sheer bliss upon his lips. He smiled then, amid his sadness, and wrapped his arms around her. It felt like home.

**Humming...**

**Haunted somewhere out there...**

He imagined himself floating on the clouds, he felt out of his body. And then, with a quick word, his princess was gone. "I love you." She drifted away as quick as she had come, becoming part of the moon again, a sparkle in the distance.

It pleased him, somewhat, to know that she would love him and watch him. And, after smacking himself a few times, he realized that he wasn't dreaming after all.

'Haha... I'm the boyfriend of an angel.…'


End file.
